School Leadership & Staff

Our Leadership

Interim Principal: Kristina Waugh

Kristina Waugh is in her 10th year at the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders and is currently serving as the Interim Principal. Kristina has been instrumental in developing the innovative curriculum and significant practices of the Ann Richards School, including the three high school STEM pathways and innovative MakerSpace. Kristina has a passion for designing and implementing creative programming pushing the Ann Richards School to the forefront of STEM education. Kristina has been an educator for 29 years, a repeat presenter at SXSWedu, National Coalition of Girls’ Schools and the National Project Lead the Way conferences. Kristina is married to an educator, has raised an educator and currently teaching her teenage son how to make his bed.

Academic Dean: Anah Sikorsky-Wiersema

Anah Wiersema began her career over 15 years ago as an art teacher at a K – 8 school in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Following her time in Milwaukee, she taught bilingual 1st grade at an International School in San Pedro Sula, Honduras. After teaching in Honduras, Anah was an art teacher in Round Rock, Texas, and eventually the curriculum coordinator of the International Baccalaureate program at the school. While teaching in Round Rock, Anah pursued her Masters degree at the University of Texas at Austin in Educational Administration. Her background in Art and curriculum design have made her passionate about the innovative curriculum at the Ann Richards School, especially as we continue to integrate the arts into our STEM work. Anah has presented multiple times at SXSWedu as well as at NCGS (National Coalition for Girls Schools) and the National Project Lead the Way conference. This is her sixth year at Ann Richards and is thrilled to see the students she started with now as Juniors and Seniors that are ready to change the world! Anah is married and is the mom to the cutest, most serious little boy on the planet.

Assistant Principal for High School: Briana Castaño

Briana Castaño began her career in education as a high school science teacher and Varsity cheerleading coach, first at Travis High School and then at The Ann Richards School. She attended Harvard University where she received her bachelors degree in Human Evolutionary Biology. During her time at Harvard, Briana found her passion of empowering women through her membership of two powerful female organizations: The Seneca, Inc. and Latinas Unidas. After her time in Cambridge, Briana moved back to Texas to continue empowering young women through education. While teaching in Austin, she pursued her Masters degree at Concordia University in Educational Administration. Her teaching background in transformative technology and personalized learning has pushed The Ann Richards School to continue being a national leader in effective curriculum. Ms. Castaño lives with her partner (he is also an educator), their sweet daughter, and their German Shepherd. She loves fishing, bumming on the beach, and tacos.

Assistant Principal for Middle School: Isadora Day

Isadora Day may not have started her career as a teacher, but she got to the Ann Richards School as fast as she could. Before she chose to become an educator, she was a reporter for the Austin American-Statesman for six years and the San Antonio Express-News for two. While at the Express-News, she wrote about the 2006 Texas Legislative session and gubernatorial race. At the Statesman, she covered daily news including crime, weather and criminal justice. While reporting, she had the opportunity to meet Ann Richards when the school was being planned. She was undeniably drawn to Ann, always wanting to keep up with the vision of young women leaders graduating from college.

For the past five years, she was a 4th grade teacher and campus leader at Hart Elementary. Isadora worked as a bilingual and ESL teacher, focusing on how to best support refugees from around the world. She formed a professional learning community for ESL teachers and won an innovation grant to establish a mentorship program in which older refugee students mentored younger children to soften the transition into the Texas public school system. While teaching, she earned her Master’s Degree in Education Administration and attended the Austin ISD Assistant Principal Pathways Academy. Isadora is thrilled to begin her administration career at one of the best schools in the nation. She has a pug, a dachshund, and a wonderful husband. When she isn’t at school, she could be kickboxing, camping, cooking, but most likely reading.

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders (ARS) is a public, all-girls college preparatory school of choice founded to educate young women from diverse backgrounds, and serves grades 6 - 12 within the Austin Independent School District (AISD).

The Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders dedicates itself to prepare young women to attend and graduate from college, commit to a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle, lead with courage and compassion, and solve problems creatively and ethically in support of our global community.